Boundaries
By Michael Bolton
A “boundary” is defined as a “border, barrier, perimeter, or line of demarcation.” Thus, a boundary is that which encloses a space or an abstract concept; or a dividing line between parcels of land; or a border in a sports arena.
In Deuteronomy and Proverbs, the Old Testament relayed the precepts and principles to which men were to adhere (Deut. 19:14; 27:17; Prov. 22:28; 23:10-11). This law, the scholars say, was toward those who would move the landmarks with the intention of gaining property by theft. It seems that some conniving scoundrels were tempted to add to their inheritance in such a manner. These laws and precepts were given to protect the widow and the orphan. It was also to provide a clear boundary to tell when one was trespassing. These provided a way for the honest man to keep the law, and a way for the authorities to punish the criminal.
In Hosea, on the other hand, the prophet mentions boundaries with no reference at all to property lines, nor was he referring to any laws of inheritance. In Hosea 5:10-11, God says
10 The princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound:
therefore I will pour out my wrath upon them like water.
11 Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment,
because he willingly walked after the commandment.
Ephraim willingly walked after the commandments of man; that is, he deliberately disobeyed the Word of God. Most Bible students are well aware of Jeroboam’s compromise after dividing the nation; he built golden calves for the people to worship
(1 Kgs. 12:25-33). Later, King Ahab married a Phoenician princess named Jezebel and built for her places of worship. Also, the princes of Judah would often purposefully and intentionally turn away from or compromise the worship of Jehovah. Generally speaking the histories of the nations of Judah and Israel begin with “King ‘so-and-so’ followed God, but not with a whole heart, because he did not remove the high places.” These were the princes of Judah who removed the boundary. They pushed the line of demarcation as far as they could.
In daily life we see “No Trespassing” and “Do Not Enter” signs frequently. Individuals who hunt know that one needs permission from a landowner to hunt or fish on their property. Otherwise, some serious charges could result. There are many other ways we encounter boundaries in daily life. Most boundaries are for our protection and enable us to survive in this world.
The young lady being courted must have boundaries to protect herself. If she is a Christian and wants to please God, her parents, and be successful in her life as a Christian, she will maintain different boundaries than her worldly friends. The married couple, young or old, have boundaries within and without the relationship, or the relationship suffers and may fail. Parents and grandparents must set boundaries for their children. We need to respect these lines in order to enjoy healthy in our relationships.
There are also boundaries in the church. Many, like little children, to remove or ignore these bounds. Just as the princes of Judah did, they want to do something other than what is approved in the Scriptures. Let us be perfectly clear—when these lines of demarcation are removed, whether they are obliterated or just watered down—the church ceases to be the church and becomes a man-made institution that is foreign to the Bible.
First, let us consider how boundaries are established in the Lord’s church. In the denominations committees are formed to study the doctrine or theology of that particular organization, and on a regular basis they make some kind of recommendation to the body on what needs to be changed. In recent years many large religious groups have divided over the issue of homosexuality. If these groups had simply looked with open, honest hearts and minds to the Bible, there would have been no division. They may have dissolved but they would not have divided. I remember well one district conference in the church of the Nazarene where the committee recommended to the district assembly to change one word in their articles of faith. The assembly argued for well over two hours over that one word. It was finally sent as an official recommendation from the Dallas district to the General assembly that was to convene in two years. They wanted to change the word “eradicate” to another word not so archaic.
In the Lord’s church we are governed by a “thus saith the LORD.” This phrase, or some form of it, is used in the Old Testament alone 414 times (Exod. 11:4; 1 Chron. 17:4; Isa. 37:33). The people of God could go before Him, usually vicariously through the priests, and inquire what to do in a specific situation. Then they knew to proceed with confidence knowing what the outcome would be. Today however, while we do not operate in this exact manner, we do have God’s reliable Word to govern us. We read,
Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at anytime we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angles was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him (Heb. 2:1-3)
We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts (2 Pet. 2:19)
We do have direction given to us by the Holy Spirit of God in the Word of God. It is there we turn for surety and safety when needing direction to know which way to go.
In the Lord’s church, we are also governed by binding examples (Mt. 28:20; 1 Cor. 11:23, 15:3; 1 Thess. 4:1). An example is binding when it is a model. A binding example is one which serves as a pattern to be imitated. All elements of the performance of the example must be present. Also, there must be the possibility of all people everywhere doing the exact same thing in the exact same way. For example, look at Mark 14:23 “and he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it.” Jesus took a cup, He gave thanks, He gave it to the disciples, and each disciple drank out of the cup. Every element of this example is possible for all people everywhere to do. One thing more, an example is binding when it is repeated in the apostolic church. We read of Paul doing this and commanding the churches to do this in 1 Corinthians 11:25 “This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.”
In the Lord’s church we are governed by the silence of the Scriptures. Oh, the battle is raging on this boundary! I have spent all but about two years of my life in a church of some sort. Two of those years were spent in a seminary which by most standards was very true to the Word. But it was not until I became a Christian that I ever heard of the silence of the Scriptures. Tertullian, a late second century church leader, said, “I should rather say that what has not been freely allowed is forbidden.” Although he would later change his view, Martin Luther, a fifteenth century Reformation leader, once proclaimed, “Whatever is without the word of God is, by that very fact, against God.” Ulrich Zwingli, another fifteenth century reformer, taught that practices “not enjoined or taught in the New Testament should be unconditionally rejected.”
The Old and New Testaments are not silent about the silence of the Scriptures.
- Cain and Abel were authorized to make sacrifice, yet only one was accepted. The reason Cain’s was rejected was because it was not offered in faith (Rom. 10:17—“faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God”). We know this is so for Hebrews 11:4 says “by faith Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice,” and verse six says “without faith it is impossible to please God.” Cain’s actions were those of will worship.
- Hebrews 11:7 tells us that Noah “prepared an ark by faith to the saving of his house.” In other words, Noah did exactly what God told him to do and nothing else!
- Nadab and Abihu, sons of Aaron and priests before the Lord (Lev. 10:1), offered “that which God had not commanded them”—they offered unauthorized fire.
- God judged the people of Israel and Judah because, according to Jeremiah 7:31, “They have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind.”
- In instructing the Corinthian brethren, Paul commanded them to not go beyond the things that are written (1 Cor. 4:6).
Mr. Vine, defines “will-worship” (Col. 2:22-23) as “voluntarily adopted worship whether unbidden or forbidden.” Thayer describes “will-worship” as “worship which one devises and prescribes for himself.” Another lexicographer says that will-worship “is not prescribed by God but only by the will of man.”
Yet people want to remove the boundary. Like the princes of Judah they are not satisfied with knowing God’s will, and they insist on their own way, often to their own detriment. There are several reason why people want to remove the bound.
- People want to remove the bound because they are unwilling to submit. The people of Israel are called “stiff-necked” nine times in the Bible and seven of those times are directly by Jehovah. Even though God loved them with a perfect love they refused and rejected all counsel and paid the price for it over and over again (1 Sam. 8:7-9; Acts 7:51-53; Rom. 10:21).
- Sometimes, people want to remove the bound because they are ignorant (2 Thess. 2:10-12). We have the truth in our hands. The Bible is man’s only revelation of the way to eternal bliss, yet so many reject it. Others compromise it. They alter it by moving the bounds and accept things God rejects and therefore lose their opportunity for salvation. We need to realize how precious this gift of truth is. We need to place it in proper esteem, for it can be lost. The light of the gospel is shining! Why walk in darkness? (2 Pet. 3:1-14)
- Many today want to remove the bound because they just won’t believe it. I heard second hand of a young lady who was going through some very distressing times. Her husband was hooked on pornography, and she (due in part because of her husband’s addiction) was suffering from a serious eating disorder. As she sought help from “professional counselors” she was told that she needed to divorce her husband and find another person who may make her feel better about herself. Her response, though she isn’t a member of the Lord’s church, was, “I cannot do that. That would be wrong and I do not want to lose my soul.” Her so-called “counselor,” then responded that she needed to find another God who would not be so judgmental. There are such “counselors” in the church today. They are the blind leading the blind. These men care not one whit for the things of God; their desire is to please themselves and to heap up treasures in this world. The Holy Spirit addressed them directly throughout the New Testament (Acts 20:28-32; 1 Jn. 2:18-24; 2 Jn. 6-9)
So how are the boundaries applied today? Let us consider some practical application. Watch how the “Thus Saith the Lord” and the “silence of the Scripture” and a “binding example” works.
First of all, consider the idea of purity. Purity concerns our lifestyle. Are we pure? Are our actions, motives, thoughts, and intentions pure? Are the desires of our heart pure? Are they pure before God? Many people today say, “I’m a good person,” yet they have no sound standard by which to determine whether they are. Many today who are living in sexual sin claim to be good people. They have a job, they pay their bills, they give to charity of some sort, and many are involved in church or church leadership. And while they are “shacked up” with their “significant other”, regardless of gender, they claim that these things make them good people. By whose standard?
Many today even in the Lord’s church claim to be good, but don’t realize that they are basing that claim on a false standard. Many who worship correctly struggle with lust, loose tongues, or as Paul said in Romans 1:29-31, they are, “filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful.” These things make us impure. They are sin. Paul says later in Ephesians 5:3, concerning fornication, “…let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints.” We have a responsibility to take stock of our life and judge ourselves to see if these things are in us. If they are we need to repent.
Purity involves self-control. A great example of purity is Job. Amongst the many great characteristics of Job, his self-control and dedication to purity are noteworthy. He understood that lust was also a sin against God, and thus made a covenant with his eyes to not look with lust upon a woman (Job 31:1-4). He also committed himself to abstain from lusting after another man’s wife, knowing that such was sin and worthy of death (Job 31:9-12).
Yes, God knows we are mortal, just flesh, and made from dust. He created us. He knows our weaknesses, and He knows our strengths too. It is our responsibility to guard our eyes, our lips, ears, feet, and hands. I am reminded of a song we used to sing as children in the Deep South, “O be careful little eyes what you see; O be careful little eyes what you see, For the Father up above is looking down in love O be careful little eyes what you see.” The ball is in our court, and we are to keep ourselves “unspotted from the world” (Jam. 1:27)
Too, let us consider the worship that a Christian is to offer. Is the worship to be different in every assembly? I am not talking about the order of the service, or the way it is arranged; for that may vary from place to place. It may seem uncomfortable or strange from one congregation to another but as long as the Scripture is followed all is well. No, I’m talking about items of worship and the elements of worship. We are to worship in Spirit and in Truth (Jn. 4:23). We are to pray, sing, preach, give of our means, and remember our Lord. The order in which we arrange those things is entirely within our liberty. Opening with a prayer or closing with a prayer that is our prerogative completely. When we do as He has directed us we will always find the items of worship in every assembly. But how are we to worship? We have the items, and we have binding examples of those elements used during the time of the Apostles. We also have direct commands to sing with our hearts as the accompaniment. We have direct commands and examples of who is to preach and who isn’t. The point is we are always to worship in the assembly. I made that statement once to a gentleman I was studying with that worship cannot be practiced alone. He was flabbergasted. But I’ll tell you the same thing. Worship cannot be done alone. When we are driving on the highway and are singing some good old gospel song and we are moved emotionally—that is not worship. It may be praise, it may be devotion, we may even (and hopefully are sometimes) be convicted of wrong. But it isn’t worship.
Here is how a binding example coupled with the silence and explicit command works. Search the scripture, see if you can find one example or command pertaining to worship for an individual. You can’t because its not there. We do find multiple examples of groups of people coming together though (Acts 2:42, 46; 20:7; 1 Cor. 11:17, 20; 1 Cor. 14:19, 26, 40; Heb. 10:25).
There are those in this age that want to remove the worship of the congregation. There are those whose desire is to remove the stigma of having to drag oneself out of bed and out of the house and assemble on the Lord’s Day. Their cry is that it’s too much. But it is all that the Bible allows. I do not want to go beyond what is written. Along the same line it addresses those who want to take off camping or hunting on the Lord’s Day and have worship around the campfire. It just doesn’t work that way.
It’s been said many times that, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” Unfortunately, the old statement rings true when it comes to the boundaries God has given His people. Thousands of years ago, God was angered because His children sought to “move the bound.” Today, whether it be morality, worship, or any number of doctrinal matters, people are still seeking to “move the bound.” As God’s children we should dedicate ourselves to studying and rightly applying God’s word to our life. We should not seek to move the boundaries God has place on us in order to make His law fit our lives; no we should change our lives so that we always live within the divine boundaries God has set for us.